What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally bringing one’s attention to the present moment with an attitude of openness, curiosity and acceptance. It involves learning to meet the present moment as it is, and responding wisely to whatever is happening.
In the modern world there is a tendency to be on autopilot: thinking and acting out of habit or reacting to situations without full awareness. This way of living often disconnects us from other people, from the natural world and from the richness of the present moment.
Mindfulness involves pausing to notice our thoughts, emotions and sensations. From this calm space, we can choose our responses more skilfully. Mindfulness is not about trying to eliminate thoughts or feelings but about cultivating awareness and compassion for our experiences – whether they are pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.
Through mindfulness we can get to know ourselves better, develop resilience and a sense of greater wellbeing and connection to the world around us. Mindfulness is both a skill that can be developed through practices like meditation, and a way of being that can be integrated into everyday activities.
The Importance of Proper Training
Mindfulness is a powerful practice with implications for individual's emotional, mental and physical health, as well as for societal and planetary health. To ensure that teaching is trauma-informed and evidenced-based, it is crucial that mindfulness programmes are taught by skilled instructors who have received adequate training.
There are so many mindfulness courses being offered these days, it can often be confusing to know who to trust. All MTAI members have completed extensive training to teach evidence-based Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) and have agreed to be bound by the professional and ethical standards of our organization.
In addition, some of our members have completed further training and specialize in areas such as Mindfulness and Compassion, Mindfulness in Education, Mindfulness in Healthcare, Mindfulness in the Workplace and various other specialized areas.
Most Common Mindfulness Programmes
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
MBSR is an eight-week programme which was developed by Jon Kabat Zinn in 1979 while he was working as a molecular scientist.
Originally developed to help patients dealing with chronic pain it has since been shown to have lasting benefits for a wide range of participants and is particularly helpful for people dealing with stress and anxiety. The course gives a practical and experiential introduction to a range of mindfulness practices. Each MBSR class is two and half hours in length and includes a one day retreat.
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
MBCT was developed as an intervention to help people who suffer from recurring depression by Professors Williams, Teasdale and Segal. They developed and researched a programme, that could be undertaken while relatively well, to help prevent sliding into relapse of depression. It is an adaptation of MBSR. Participants learn to recognise specific patterns of negative thinking that people with depression are vulnerable to, and over the 8 weeks develop resilience and confidence in their ability to respond to them skilfully.
MBCT is based on the premise that recurrence of depression is more likely when patterns of negative thinking are triggered by transient low moods encountered by most of us in our daily lives.
Mindfulness and Compassion
Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL) and Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) are two training programmes which combine the skills of mindfulness and self-compassion, providing a powerful tool for emotional resilience. Mindfulness teaches us to be more aware of life as it unfolds from moment to moment, but these moments can bring us difficulty, pain or suffering, a challenge we all face at some time in our lives.
The MBCL and MSC programmes offer practical guidance on cultivating a mindful, kind and compassionate relationship with our inner life.
Mindfulness in Education
A number of mindfulness based interventions have been developed and tested for delivery in primary and secondary schools as well as third level institutions. Some of the most common are Paws b (for 7-11 year olds) or .b (for 11 to 18 year olds) or the .b Foundations that focuses on mindfulness delivery to adults in schools.
Expertise and Customisation
Each teacher brings unique skills and insights to their work. They integrate their personal and professional expertise - whether in education, healthcare, community engagement, business, psychology or others - into the mindfulness programmes they deliver. This ensures that every course is not only rooted in mindfulness principles but also aligned with the specific needs of the audience.
Our association maintains a comprehensive database of mindfulness teachers, providing detailed information about each member. This resource ensures that you can make informed choices about who to learn from and which programmes to attend. The database includes:
Educational Background
Professional Experience
Specialisations
Current Offerings
Target Audiences
We invite you to explore our directory to find a teacher whose expertise and approach align with your interests and goals. Feel free to contact us for support if you cannot find what you're looking for.
Explore our Member Directory